Director Brian De Palma says he hopes his new film about US war crimes in Iraq will help end the conflict. But Redacted is so dreadful it’s more likely to end careers.

Despite good intentions, this is risibly acted, sloppily scripted and gimmicky, resulting in something that looks like the work of a first-time filmmaker rather than someone who’s been in the business for nearly 50 years.

Based on a true story, we follow Alpha Company, a troop of US marines stationed south of Baghdad, who break into the home of a local family, rape their 15-year-old daughter and then slaughter everyone.

Loosely updating De Palma’s Vietnam movie Casualties Of War, the story is recounted via recreated CCTV footage, a soldier’s camcorder and internet videos, a trick that feels contrived and serves to highlight the limitations of the no-name cast.